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COUNTRY, BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIMEY

Doug Sahm  -> Ricky Skaggs

MIKE SEEGER
SELDOM SCENE
MACK SELF
SHAVER
BILLY JOE SHAVER
JAMES ALAN SHELTON

THE SHELTON BROTHERS
JEAN SHEPARD
RILEY SHEPARD
GLEN SHERLEY
ARKIE SHIBLEY
MERVIN SHINER
CAL SHRUM
GEORGE SHUFFLER
RICKY SKAGGS

 

   
MIKE SEEGER Smithsonian Folkways 40107 Southern Banjo Sounds ● CD $15.98
26 tracks, 65 minutes, recommended
 Fantastic collection of rural Southern banjo music characterized by Seeger's respectful and affectionate approach to traditional music. The result is a wide ranging and fascinating tour through the many musical styles associated with the banjo, everything from clawhammer to the 3 finger picking style popularized by Earl Scruggs, with a surprising number of variations in between. It's just Seeger and his instrument here, but monotony is avoided as nearly every tune features a different type of banjo, many of which are illustrated in the many color photos found in the extensive booklet. Fellow banjo players will particularly value this disk as Seeger includes extensive notes detailing tunings, picking styles, and technique, but all fans of old time country music will enjoy this impressive project. (DP)

 
SELDOM SCENE Rebel 1103 Live At The Cellar Door ● CD $15.98
The group's most popular album now available on CD.

 
SELDOM SCENE Rebel 1511 Act 1 ● CD $15.98
 

 
SELDOM SCENE Rebel 1520 Act 2 ● CD $15.98
 

 
SELDOM SCENE Rebel 1528 Act 3 ● CD $15.98
Reissue of 1973 album, with guests Ricky Skaggs and Clayton Hambrick. 12 cuts.

 
SELDOM SCENE Rebel 1536 Old Train ● CD $15.98
With guests Linda Ronstadt and Ricky Skaggs.

 
SELDOM SCENE Rebel 1561 New Seldom Scene Album ● CD $15.98

 
SELDOM SCENE Rebel 1573 Baptizing ● CD $15.98

 
SELDOM SCENE Sugar Hill 2202 15th Anniversary Celebration ● CD $15.98
2-LP complete on one CD, over seventy minutes recorded live at the Kennedy Center.

 
SELDOM SCENE Sugar Hill 2501 Scene 20 - 20th Anniversary Concert ● CD $25.98
Two CD set.

 
SELDOM SCENE Sugar Hill 3721 After Midnight ● CD $15.98

 
SELDOM SCENE Sugar Hill 3736 At The Scene ● CD $15.98
First CD issue of this album from 1983. This edition of the Seldom Scene includes the vocals and guitar of Phil Rosenthal along with the contribution of longtime Scene stalwarts Tom Gray, Ben Eldridge, Mike Auldridge, and John Duffey. 10 selections in all, including four Rosenthal originals and the usual eclectic song selection, sharp instrumental work, and tight harmonies that have always marked this band's work. My personal favorite here is the country ballad It Turns Me Inside Out featuring Duffey's aching tenor vocal and great harmony. Also includes A Girl I Know/ Jamaica/ Say You Will/ Open Up The Window, Noah/ Winter Wind and Born Of The Wind. RP

 
SELDOM SCENE Sugar Hill 3763 A Change Of Scenery ● CD $15.98

 
SELDOM SCENE Sugar Hill 3785 Scenic Roots ● CD $15.98

 
SELDOM SCENE Sugar Hill 3822 Like We Used To Be ● CD $15.98

 
MACK SELF Gee-Dee 270130 Vibrate ● CD $19.98
Country and rockabilly from this Arkansas performer including all his Sun sides plus cuts from the 60s and 70s.

 
SHAVER New West 6003 Victory ● CD $16.98
12 tracks, 37 mins, highly recommended
Terrific new all acoustic album by the talented Billy Joe Shaver accompanied by son Eddie. He recycles some songs from his previous albums including Live Forever/ If I Give My Soul / Old Five And Dimers and others which have a different feel in this acoustic setting. There are some excellent new songs, often with a flavor, including You Can't Beat Jesus Christ/ My Mother's Name Is Victory/ Presents From The Past, and my favorite, the tender and beautiful I'm In Love. The album opens with an acapella song Son Of Calvary. Wonderful stuff. (FS)

 
SHAVER New West 6007 Electric Shaver ● CD $16.98

 
BILLY JOE SHAVER Bear Family BCD 15775 Honky Tonk Heroes ● CD $21.98
25 cuts, 79 min, recommended
Sometimes Richard Weize really picks 'em. In the wake of the acclaim garnered by Shaver's 1993 "Tramp On Your Street", album , Bear's reissued both his 1976 Capricorn LPs, a 1974 MGM single and an unreleased MGM recording on one CD. Though he wrote many of his greatest numbers back then, his own recording career had its share of problems. The MGM material was quite respectable. The first Capricorn album wasn't bad, particularly Ride Me Down Easy Woman Is the Wonder of the World and When the Word Was Thunderbird. His patriotic number, America You Are My Woman is one of the few country patriotic songs that doesn't go completely overboard. Jimmy Guterman makes a good point about Shaver's second Capricorn effort, "Gypsy Boy". A few fine performances shined through, most notably I'm Going Crazy in 3/4 Time (with Emmylou and Rodney Crowell singing harmony) and You Asked Me To. The problem with this one was Brian Ahern, whose main focus in those days was producing then-wife Emmylou Harris, and didn't know what to do with Billy Joe. According to Shaver, who Guterman interviewed for this set, genius Ahern wouldn't even let Shaver record some of his old songs (he rejected the now-classic I'm Just An Old Chunk Of Coal). Aside from hearing Shaver in the Outlaw days, the set makes a couple of points: one, the Monument material needs reissuing and two, Shaver didn't make the record of his career for nearly 20 years after these recordings. (RK)

 
BILLY JOE SHAVER Compadre 66422 The Real Deal ● CD $13.98
16 tracks, 62 mins, highly recommended
Just got around to this 2005 release, one that finds an original outlaw in fine form. A couple of the tracks here, including the lead off Live Forever, got a good amount of play on satellite radio and other alternative mediums, so you might have all ready heard some of this. Big & Rich (who I couldn't care less about), Kimmie Rhodes, Nanci Griffith and Kevin Fowler make the right kind of guest appearances, respectfully adding to the songs without trying to be the star, probably something to do with the stature of the artist whose work they are appearing on. This is definitely a choice outing that measures up to the best in Shaver's work: thoughtful and introspective, but still able to cut loose when needed. Top-notch players accompany throughout making for a rich sounding record that's a joy to listen to. Great liner notes by Texas Governor in waiting (still) Kinky Friedman. (JM)

 
BILLY JOE SHAVER Koch 7938 Old Five And Dimers Like Me ● CD $11.98
Reissue of Monument 32293 from 1973 produced by Kris Kristofferson with two bonus unissued cuts.

 
JAMES ALAN SHELTON Copper Creek 178 Guitar Tracks ● CD $15.98
Fine all instrumental album featuring 13 old time and bluegrass tunes played by the talented lead guitarist for Ralph Stanley's Clinch Mountain Boys. He is accompanied by several fellow band members on Sugarfoot Rag/ Barbara Allen/ The Ghost Train/ Road Weary Blues/ Snow Deer/ Rosewood Casket, etc.

 
THE SHELTON BROTHERS B.A.C.M. 010 Rompin' & Stompin' Around ● CD $14.98
A fine and varied selection of material from this versatile duo who perform a wide range of material. No duplication with the two CDs on Cattle. 20 tracks.
THE SHELTON BROTHERS: A Prisoner's Dream/ At The Shelby County Fair/ Budded Roses/ Deep Elem Blues/ I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes/ It's Hard To Love And Not Be Loved/ Just Because/ Lover's Farewell/ Match Box Blues/ Ridin' On A Hump Back Mule/ Rompin' And Stompin' Around/ She Was Happy Till She Met You/ Somebody Stole My Darling/ Story Of Seven Roses/ Sweet Evalina/ Tell Me With Your Blue Eyes/ That's A Habit I Never Had/ Way Down In Georgia/ When It's Night Time In Nevada/ Who's Gonna Cut My Baby's Kindling

 
THE SHELTON BROTHERS Cattle 241 Down On the Farm ● CD $18.98
Collection of 25 sides by this excellent duo recorded between 1935 and 1940. A mixture of blues, novelty songs, western flavored songs, risque songs (Knot Hole Blues is particularly raunchy) and sentimental songs with varied accompaniments including Cliff Bruner, Bob Dunn, Felton Harkness and others. Songs include Down On The Farm/ I'm Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail/ Alone With My Sorrows/ Ace In the Hole/ Don't Leave Me All Alone and more.

 
THE SHELTON BROTHERS Cattle 258 A Hillbilly And Western Swing Legend ● CD $18.98
Complementing Cattle 241 - 26 more fine sides by excellent duo with sidemen like Cliff Bruner, Bob Dunn, Moon Mullican, Gene Sullivan and others.

 
JEAN SHEPARD B.A.C.M. 170 This Has Been Your Life ● CD $14.98
25 tracks, 64 minutes, highly recommended
One of premier stylists from country music's golden age, Jean Shepard unabashedly sang about heartbreak and the emotional consequences resulting from illicit affairs. Possessing a brassy, full-throated delivery similar to Kay Starr's, she signed with Capitol when she was eighteen years old. Her second record, a cover of Fuzzy Owen and Bonnie Owens' weeper A Dear John Letter, struck gold in 1953; other chart hits soon followed, including A Satisfied Mind/ Beautiful Lies/ Take Possession and I Thought of You. This B.A.C.M. collection primarily focuses on Shepard's prime 1952-56 output, mostly recorded in Hollywood with such sidemen as Speedy West, Lewis Talley, Roy Nichols and Buck Owens. Hank Fort's novelty I Didn't Know the Gun Was Loaded comes from an Armed Forces Recruiting Services transcription. With the Country Music Foundation's single-disc Shepard anthology long out of print, this collection serves as a worthy introduction to this longtime Opry member. Sound is better than usual for B.A.C.M.; British country singer Gerry Ford penned a brief bio and appreciation. (DS)
JEAN SHEPARD: A Dear John Letter/ A Satisfied Mind/ Be Honest With Me/ Beautiful Lies/ Crying Steel Guitar Waltz/ Did You Tell Her About Me/ Don't Fall In Love With A Married Man/ Don't Rush Me/ Forgive Me John/ Glass That Stands Beside You/ He Loved Me Once And He'll Love Me Again/ I Didn't Know The Gun Was Loaded/ I Learned It All From You/ I Thought Of You/ Just Give Me Love/ Please Don't Divorce Me/ Take Possession/ Thank You Just The Same/ This Has Been Your Life/ Twice The Lovin' In Half The Time/ Two Hoops And A Holler/ Why Did You Wait/ You Sent Her An Orchid You Sent Me A Rose/ You'll Come Crawlin'/ You're Calling Me Sweetheart Again

 
JEAN SHEPARD Bear Family BCD 15905 The Melody Ranch Girl ● CD $119.98
5 CDs, 151 tracks, recommended
 Anyone who bought the Country Music Foundation's Jean Shepard CD and wanted more can have it with this, her complete Capitol output from 1952 through 1964 (she stayed on the label until 1972). One can hear her go from teenaged singer on her first unsuccessful single, Crying Steel Guitar Waltz, with Speedy West on steel, to hit artist. The breakthrough came when Capitol producer Ken Nelson teamed her with Ferlin Husky, who'd also had no hits, Their 1953 ballad A Dear John Letter was the breakthrough for both. After time in Missouri and Texas, Shepard moved to Nashville and joined the Opry in 1955. Until 1958, she still recorded in L.A. with some of Bakersfield's best sidemen (including Buck Owens on guitar). All her hits during these 12 years are included, Forgive Me John with Ferlin, A Satisfied Mind, Beautiful Lies and I Thought of You, Second Fiddle (To An Old Guitar), and everything else in between, including a dozen previously unreleased tracks. All of her albums in this period, from her pioneering 1956 concept LP "Songs of A Love Affair", the chronicle of a broken relationship from a woman's standpoint through her eventual recovery. Other LPs encompassed by the collection are "Lonesome Love", "Lighthearted and Blue", "Got You On My Mind", "It's A Man Every Time", "Heartaches and Tears" and "This Is Jean Shepard" also appear. Naturally, the sound is outstanding, as is the 35 page booklet, which features many rare photos and memorabilia, a complete discography and an outstanding essay by Chris Skinker. (RK)

 
JEAN SHEPARD & TOMMY OVERSTREET Gusto 2004 Sing 15 Gospel Hits in their Own Style ● CD $6.98
Jean Shepard sings seven cuts including Rock of Ages/ Blessed Assurance/ Crying Holy, Rock of Ages. Tommy Overstreet Sings eight cuts including In the Garden/ Blessed Assurance/ Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.

 
RILEY SHEPARD Cattle 287 The Cowboy Philosopher ● CD $18.98
20 tracks from East Coast based cowboy singer recorded in mid 40s with, probably, Vaughn Horton on steel guitar.
RILEY SHEPARD: Atomic Power/ Blue Christmas/ Guilty Heart/ Honey, Be My Honey Bee/ I Can't Give You Back Your Heart/ I Trusted You/ I Was Never Nearer Heaven In My Life/ I've Got A Gal In Laramie/ It Was Fun While It Lasted/ Judy (you're My Angel)/ Just Because/ Missouri/ Postman Doesn't Call At My Door Anymore/ Silver Dew On The Bluegrass Tonight/ Slap Her Down Agin, Pa/ Sweet Corina Blues/ Take That Tombstone Off My Grave/ The Blue Tail Fly/ Wear A Little Sunshine In Your Smile/ Yip-i-addy Nevady

 
GLEN SHERLEY Bear Family BCD 16845 Live At Vacaville, California ● CD $21.98
Country singer and songwriter Glen Sherley was one of the inmates at Folsom Prison when Johnny Cash played his famous live concert in 1968 and one of the songs Cash sang was Sherley's Greystone Chapel. Cash took an interest in Sherley's fate after he was released in 1971 and helped him land a contract with Mega Records. He recorded an album live at Vacaville Prison - many of the songs dealing with his prison experiences. This CD reissues that LP plus two rare singles that never made it to the original LP.

 
ARKIE SHIBLEY Collector 2856 Hot Rod Race ● CD $17.98
25 cuts from late 40s/ early 50s including several versions of the title song - his only hit and some fine guitar instrumentals

 
MERVIN SHINER B.A.C.M. 125 Steppin' Out ● CD $14.98
27 tracks by this obscure but engaging country singer from Bethlehem, Pa. recorded in the 40s and early 50s including a couple that were minor hits. Arrangements are varied, generally honky tonk flavored with nice steel guitar including tracks with Grady Martin's Slew Foot Five - some with effective clarinet playing. Several tracks feature vocal back up from the Jordanaires. Includes quite a few covers of other artist's hits. Includes Our Love Isn't Legal/ If You've Got The Money, I've Got The Time/ My Bucket's Got A Hole In It (very nice version with funky acoustic guitar work)/ I Think I'm Gonna Cry Again/ Your Heart Is Too Crowded/ Slippin' Around Withe Jole Blon/ Landslide Of Love/ Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me/ Soft Lips/ Little Liza Lou, etc.
MERVIN SHINER: Ace In The Hole/ Almost/ Gra Mamou/ Great Speckled Bird/ I Overlooked An Orchid/ I Think I’m Gonna Cry Again/ If Teardrops Were Pennies/ If You’ve Got The Money, I’ve Got The Time/ I’m Going Through Jesus/ I’m Gonna Tie A Little String Around Your Finger/ Landslide Of Love/ Let’s Take A Trip To The Moon/ Little Liza Lou/ Man In The Moon Cried Last Night/ Me Without You/ My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It/ Old Kentucky Waltz/ Our Love Isn’t Legal/ Settin’ The Woods On Fire/ Slippin’ Around With Jole Blon/ Soft Lips/ Steppin’ Out/ Sweet Mama Blues/ Take A Little Silver/ The Lightning Express/ Why Don’t You Haul Off And Love Me/ Your Heart Is Too Crowded

 
CAL SHRUM B.A.C.M. 169 And His Rhythm Rangers & Colorado Hillbillies ● CD $14.98
32 tracks, recommended
Fine collection of sides featuring groups led by Missouri born Cal Shrum drawn from transcriptions. These groups featured some of the earliest appearances of Tex Williams and Spade Cooley. The earliest recordings from 1936 or early 1937 transcriptions for the obscure Titan company features a mix of old time and western with Cal joined by his brother Walt on vocals and guitars, "Pappy" Hoag on fiddle, Carl "Brick" Hansen on accordion and others. The next batch are from 1938 by which time the group had changed considerably with Spade Cooley joining on fiddle, Hansen replaced on accordion by the remarkable 13 year old "Tony" Fiore and other changes and the material becomes more western flavored. By 1942 the brothers had split and Walt took several members of the group with him and kept the name Colorado Hillbillies and Cal kept Cooley and added several other musicians including the fabulous Django styled guitarist Cene Haas to form The Rhythm Rangers. 18 tracks by this group from 1942 McGregor transcriptions are featured including hot swing numbers, sentimental ballads like Old Shep and wetsrn flavored items. Altogether a varied and entertaining set of performances with excellent sound and informative notes from Kevin Coffey. (FS)
CAL SHRUM & HIS RHYTHM RANGERS: A Letter Edged In Black/ Arkansas Traveler/ Blonde Fiddle Blues/ Blue Eyed Ellen/ Blue Streak/ Closing Theme/ Cooley Stomp/ Covered Wagon Rolled Right Along/ Cowboy's Dream/ Dry Your Eyes/ Eighth Of January/ Fit # 5/ Gal I Left Behind Me/ Grey Eagle/ Haas Special/ Happy Rhythm Ranger (happy Roving Cowboy)/ Hillbillies Request/ Little Brown Jug/ Lonely Rider/ New Frontier/ Old Joe Clark/ Old Shep/ Opening Theme/ Polly Wolly Doodle/ Rhythm Ranger's Waltz/ Shack By The Railroad Track/ Spade's Blues/ Spasm # 2/ Texas Jive/ That's The Reason Why/ The Wreck Of The Old 97/ They Drew My Number/ Walking The Floor Over You/ You Don't Love Me

 
GEORGE SHUFFLER Freeland 657 Cross Pickin' ● CD $15.98
Entertaining, though absurdly short (less than 19 minutes!) collection of traditional religious songs performed by country guitarist best known for his work with The Stanley Brothers and then Ralph Stanley. Songs include Will You Miss Me/ Life's Railway To Heaven/ The Promise/ Lonely Tombs/ Little Rosewood Casket and five more performed in his unique "cross-picking" style.

 
RICKY SKAGGS Rounder 0151 Family & Friends ● CD $16.98
Fine album includes Ricky's parents Hobert & Dorothy - plus Peter Rowan, Bobby Hicks, Jerry Douglas and others on a selection of acoustic country music

 
RICKY SKAGGS Sugar Hill 3706 Sweet Temptation ● CD $16.98

 
RICKY SKAGGS & KEITH WHITLEY Rebel 1504 Second Generation Bluegrass ● CD $15.98
Re-released with new packaging including 12 page booklet and newly remastered. Ricky and Keith were just kids when they cut this one in 1971, while they were still touring with Ralph Stanley's Clinch Mountain Boys (who back them here--with Roy Lee Centers on guitar and Curly Ray Cline on fiddle). Their love for the Stanley Brothers sound, combined with their harmonizing, led Ralph to perform songs he hadn't done since his brother Carter Stanley died in 1967. The two are young, but the potential is clear. Don't Cheat in Our Hometown, the same song Skaggs took to # 1 in 1983, leads off. All I Ever Loved Was You came from Ricky's mom and Son of Hobert was an instrumental tribute to Ricky's father. Keith plays a tantalizing instrumental f Wildwood Flower and together they tackle two Stanley vocal chestnuts: Memories of Mother and This Weary Heart You Stole Away. If you want to know where the two of them started, this will answer your questions. (RK)

 
RICKY SKAGGS & TONY RICE Sugar Hill 3711 Skaggs & Rice ● CD $15.98

 
RICKY SKAGGS & TONY RICE Sugar Hill 3711 Skaggs & Rice ● CD $15.98

 

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